Frequently asked questions
Questions about hypnotherapy and smoking
Fifteen questions answered in full, including the ones that are uncomfortable to answer honestly. Where the accurate answer is "it depends" or "no", that is what appears below.
Part one
Understanding hypnosis
What hypnosis and hypnotherapy actually are, and what happens to your control while you are in a session.
Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic approach that uses a state of focused attention and physical relaxation, known as hypnosis, as the setting in which therapeutic work takes place. In a smoking context that work typically involves examining how the habit operates in your day, identifying the cues that precede it, clarifying your own reasons for wanting change, and rehearsing different responses to familiar situations. A great deal of it is ordinary conversation. It is a supportive approach rather than a medical treatment, and it depends on the willing participation of the person taking part.
Hypnosis is a state of focused attention accompanied by physical relaxation and a temporary reduction in awareness of surroundings. It is not sleep and it is not unconsciousness. Most people have experienced something close to it without naming it: becoming absorbed in a book and not hearing someone speak, or driving a familiar route and arriving without recalling the journey. In therapeutic hypnosis that state is created deliberately and then used for a purpose the client has agreed.
No. You remain aware of where you are, you can hear and respond, and you can speak, move, open your eyes or end the session at any point. You will not act against your own values and you cannot be made to accept a suggestion you do not want. This concern comes almost entirely from stage hypnosis, which is designed as entertainment and gives a misleading impression of what therapeutic hypnosis involves.
Read the full comparison of stage and therapeutic hypnosis →
Most people can engage with a hypnotic state to a degree that is useful, though the experience differs considerably between individuals. Some settle quickly and deeply; others remain more alert throughout and still find the work valuable. Willingness matters far more than any supposed susceptibility, and scepticism is not a barrier provided a person is prepared to participate. Depth of experience is not a measure of how effective the work will be, and it is certainly not a measure of the person.
Yes, in almost all cases. People generally remember a hypnotherapy session much as they would remember a quiet conversation. Some become deeply relaxed and lose track of time or find that particular passages are less distinct, which is a common experience of deep relaxation rather than a loss of memory. You are not unconscious at any point.
Part two
Hypnotherapy and smoking
The questions that matter most, answered without the promises that usually accompany this subject.
Hypnotherapy does not make anyone do anything. It is not performed on a passive recipient and it cannot override a person's own intentions. What it may do is support you in examining your habits and triggers, clarifying your motivation, and rehearsing alternative responses to the situations in which you usually smoke. Whether that support leads to stopping depends on many factors, including your readiness, your participation, the strength of physical dependence and your circumstances.
No. No responsible practitioner can guarantee the same result for every individual, and no guarantee, cure claim or success rate is offered on this website. A guarantee would require control over factors no practitioner controls, including the degree of physical dependence, personal circumstances, the environment a person returns to each day, and what other support is in place. What can honestly be offered is a structured, carefully conducted process and an honest assessment of whether it appears suited to your situation.
There is no fixed number that applies to everyone, and quoting one in advance would be misleading. Some people arrive with a clear decision already made and need only a short piece of focused work. Others are still weighing the decision, or are managing significant pressure alongside the habit, and benefit from a longer process. The likely shape of the work is discussed during the initial conversation, once there is enough information to say something useful, and it is reviewed as the work continues.
Working with triggers is one of the more useful things this approach can offer. Sessions can be used to identify the specific cues that precede smoking for you, to understand what the behaviour appears to provide at those moments, and to rehearse an alternative response until it feels like an available option rather than a theoretical one. Results vary between individuals, and preparation for specific situations tends to be more reliable than depending on resistance in the moment.
That is extremely common and it is useful information rather than evidence of failure. Previous attempts show which situations proved hardest, how long a change was sustained, what conditions you were working under, and which strategies did not suit you. All of that helps shape a more realistic approach rather than repeating the same one with more effort. Most people who stop smoking have made several attempts.
It is discussed openly rather than treated as a failure. A lapse carries useful information: which situation, what preceded it, what was different that day. That information is fed back into the plan. The more damaging response is usually the interpretation, in which a single cigarette is taken as proof that the whole effort has collapsed, since that reaction frequently causes far more harm than the cigarette itself.
Part three
Sessions and practical questions
You sit or recline comfortably and fully clothed in an ordinary consulting setting. There is conversation first so the session has a clear focus. You are then guided, through spoken suggestion and simple attention exercises, into a state of settled focused relaxation, usually with your eyes closed. The therapeutic work then proceeds: revisiting triggers, reinforcing intentions you have expressed in your own words, and mentally rehearsing alternative responses. The session closes gradually and there is time to talk afterwards. Nothing is administered and no equipment is involved.
For most people, therapeutic hypnosis conducted responsibly is a calm and uneventful experience. Nothing is administered and no equipment is used. Some people experience temporary drowsiness or find that emotional material surfaces during a session, which is discussed at the time. If you have a diagnosed mental health condition such as psychosis, or any significant health concern, please discuss hypnotherapy with your doctor before beginning, and tell the practitioner about it during the initial conversation.
Part four
Medical questions
Two questions where the boundary needs to be completely unambiguous.
Yes, particularly if you have a medical condition, take prescribed medication, are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, have experienced significant withdrawal effects before, or are considering nicotine replacement therapy or medication to support stopping. Those questions belong with a qualified healthcare professional who knows your history. Hypnotherapy addresses the behavioural side of smoking and works best when medical questions are handled by the appropriate professional in parallel.
No. Hypnotherapy does not diagnose or treat medical conditions and is not a substitute for medical assessment, treatment or advice. It should never be used as a reason to delay seeking medical attention or to stop or alter prescribed treatment. It is offered here as a complementary, supportive approach that may sit alongside medical care, not in place of it.
In an emergency
This website is not monitored continuously and must not be used for urgent or emergency medical matters. If you are unwell or need immediate help, contact your doctor or your local emergency services directly.
Something not answered here?
Ask it directly
If your question is not covered above, it is worth asking. Questions are a normal part of an initial conversation, including sceptical ones.